Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 2, 2025

Lipid Droplet Isolation for Quantitative Mass Spectrometry Analysis
10:23

Lipid Droplet Isolation for Quantitative Mass Spectrometry Analysis

Published on: April 17, 2017

10.2K

Statin Utilization Among Individuals Infected With Hepatitis C Virus: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Spencer R Goble1, Philippe Nyembo1, Holly Rodin2

  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, Hennepin Healthcare, Minneapolis, USA.

Cureus
|April 14, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Statins are underused in patients with Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection, despite guidelines recommending them for primary prevention of coronary artery disease (CAD). This study found statins were safe and well-tolerated in this population.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Hepatology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Statin therapy for primary prevention of coronary artery disease (CAD) is often limited in patients with chronic liver disease, including Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection, due to safety concerns.
  • Underutilization of statins in this high-risk population may lead to preventable cardiovascular events.
  • Understanding statin utilization patterns and safety in HCV-infected individuals is crucial for optimizing cardiovascular risk management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify the underutilization of statins among individuals with a history of HCV infection.
  • To assess the clinical implications and safety of statin use in this population.
  • To identify factors associated with statin underutilization in HCV-infected patients eligible for primary prevention therapy.

Main Methods:

  • A single-center retrospective study was conducted on individuals aged 40-75 years with a history of HCV infection from 2019-2021.
  • Statin eligibility was determined using the 2019 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines and the 2013 Pooled Cohort Equation for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk assessment.
  • Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with statin use and to compare baseline characteristics and adverse events between statin users and non-users.

Main Results:

  • Out of 1,077 individuals with HCV history, 752 (69.8%) met the criteria for statin therapy based on 2019 ACC/AHA guidelines.
  • However, only 280 (37.2%) of eligible patients received statin treatment, indicating significant underutilization.
  • Cirrhosis was independently associated with statin underutilization, while diabetes, antihypertensive use, and Black race were associated with statin use. Statin use was not linked to adverse events.

Conclusions:

  • Statins are significantly underutilized for primary prevention of CAD in patients with a history of HCV infection.
  • Statin therapy was found to be well-tolerated and safe in this cohort, with no associated adverse events.
  • Increased screening for CAD and greater utilization of statins are recommended for primary prevention in this high-risk HCV-infected population.

Keywords:
cirrhosiscoronary artery diseasehepatitis c virusprimary preventionstatins

More Related Videos

A Protocol for Analyzing Hepatitis C Virus Replication13:04

A Protocol for Analyzing Hepatitis C Virus Replication

Published on: June 26, 2014

24.2K
LDL Cholesterol Uptake Assay Using Live Cell Imaging Analysis with Cell Health Monitoring08:45

LDL Cholesterol Uptake Assay Using Live Cell Imaging Analysis with Cell Health Monitoring

Published on: November 17, 2018

13.5K

Related Concept Videos

Lipid-Lowering Drugs: Statins and Miscellaneous Agents01:20

Lipid-Lowering Drugs: Statins and Miscellaneous Agents

Hyperlipidemia, a medical condition often referred to as high cholesterol, is characterized by abnormally elevated levels of lipids in the bloodstream. When present in excess, these lipids, specifically cholesterol and triglycerides, can lead to serious health complications, often involving cardiovascular diseases. Illnesses like atherosclerosis, heart attacks, and pancreatitis have all been linked to untreated hyperlipidemia. This means controlling and regulating cholesterol and triglyceride...
717
Hepatic Drug Clearance: Effect of Protein Binding01:09

Hepatic Drug Clearance: Effect of Protein Binding

Hepatic clearance is influenced by protein binding based on the drug's extraction ratio. Drugs with high extraction ratios are considered flow-limited and remain unaffected by protein binding during hepatic clearance. On the other hand, drugs with low extraction ratios may be impacted by plasma protein binding, although the extent of this influence depends on the fraction of the drug bound.
For low-extraction-ratio drugs that are less than 80% protein-bound, minor changes in protein binding...
256
Hepatic Drug Excretion: Influencing Factors01:16

Hepatic Drug Excretion: Influencing Factors

The biliary system of the liver, crucial for bile secretion and drug excretion, comprises intrahepatic bile ducts that merge to form the common hepatic duct. This duct, carrying hepatic bile, combines with the cystic duct, draining the gallbladder and forming the common bile duct, which empties into the duodenum. Bile, produced by hepatic cells lining the bile canaliculi, is composed primarily of water, bile salts, pigments, electrolytes, and lesser amounts of cholesterol and fatty acids. Bile...
171
Hepatic Drug Clearance: Restrictive and Nonrestrictive Clearance01:09

Hepatic Drug Clearance: Restrictive and Nonrestrictive Clearance

Hepatic clearance refers to the volume of blood cleared of a drug by the liver per unit of time. It plays a crucial role in drug metabolism and elimination. While hepatic clearance is commonly estimated by subtracting renal clearance from total body clearance, other pathways, such as pulmonary or biliary clearance, may also contribute. However, these pathways are generally less significant than hepatic and renal clearance.
Most drugs undergo restrictive clearance, which is proportional to the...
160
Hepatic Drug Clearance: Role of Transporters01:14

Hepatic Drug Clearance: Role of Transporters

In the liver and bile canaliculi, influx and efflux transporters modification can influence intrinsic clearance. Transporters play a significant role in moving drugs within liver cells. Elaborate models, such as the Biopharmaceutical Classification System (BCS), are essential to relate transporters to drug disposition. This system categorizes drugs into four classes based on solubility and permeability, providing insights into elimination routes and the effects of transporters following oral...
90